TBA Firefly set to show expanded range to FIREX

by Featured NewsFire SuppressionIndustry SectorsProductsPublic Events

TBA Firefly is set to display a wide array of products at the 2022 FIREX show in London’s Excel Centre. The company is looking to building on its success of 2021 in terms of winning new business and the scale of the contracts the company was involved in delivering.

Among its products the company will display its recent launches such as Penowrap and the FR120 Access Panel, as well as its versatile Athena fire barrier, suited for timber lofts.

The new 600 x 600mm, IFC certified panel has been developed to facilitate regular maintenance access to roof spaces and other fire compartments, created using the Firefly barriers and offers two hours fire resistance.  

Penowrap, meanwhile, is a lightweight and flexible wrap which complements other TBA Firefly flexible fire barrier systems: intended to protect steel or timber structural members up to 300mm beyond the main barrier, giving additional protection.

Simon James, marketing manager, Firefly’s said: “Firex gives us an ideal opportunity to showcase our product range to key players in the industry, including existing clients and those companies not yet familiar with the products we offer. We serve a specialist part of the passive fire protection market, offering some unique solutions, all supported by the relevant accreditations and full technical back-up.”  

UK Doorsets secures certification for security, fire and smoke control

by Featured NewsFire DoorsProducts

UK Doorsets Ltd are one of the first Secured by Design (SBD) member company to attain certification for security, fire & smoke control on their doorsets.

Secured by Design (SBD), the national police crime prevention initiative, has been a staunch campaigner for improved security in buildings for over 30 years. As a consequence of the tragic events of the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017, SBD announced that as part of its membership it was requiring doors that are either described as fire doors, or where fire performance is declared or implied, to have third-party certification for both security and fire performance.

SBD have subsequently revisited the possible life-threatening characteristics of fire rated doorsets, as asphyxiation caused by smoke inhalation is the most common cause of deaths in flats when a fire occurs. Therefore, with effect from 1st June 2022, SBD will require all member companies with doorsets listed on their SBD schedule that are fire rated and that are required by UK Building Regulations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) to have smoke control properties for the intended installation – e.g. flat entrance doorsets to be certificated for the following attributes – Security, Fire and Smoke Control.
SBD are adamant that any doorset that carries SBD accreditation should be fit for purpose in all declared characteristics, but especially those that are life critical such as fire, security and smoke control.

Ruari Robertson, Secured by Design, said: “I am delighted that UK Doorsets Ltd are one of the first of our valued member companies to attain this certification and is a testament to the strong working relationship that exists between SBD and all its member companies, who will undoubtedly follow suit in achieving these attributes.”

Simon Chapman, UK Doorsets commented: “We are proud to be one of the first businesses to achieve this enhanced triple certification for our SBD doorsets. As a business we have always tried to be at the forefront of safety compliance, ensuring all our doors and doorsets achieve the best performance for their designated environments.

“We understand fully the danger and importance of smoke control in the event of a fire, so had already undergone third-party testing to guarantee our doors would perform if this occurred. This certification endorses that and will hopefully raise the bar with other manufacturers in the industry when producing these potentially lifesaving products.”

IFSEC and FIREX to conduct live installer training courses

by Featured NewsIndustry SectorsPeoplePublic Events

IFSEC and FIREX International are set to host, for the first time, in-person training sessions for installers, integrators, and engineers.

These focused training sessions will ensure professionals remain on top of the latest best practices in security and fire, and secure CPD points to keep up with the growing push for competency requirements.

The ‘skills gap’ is one of the most pressing challenges in the UK’s fire and security technical installation sector at present. While not a new issue, it is one that has continued over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic – in a survey undertaken by IFSEC in 2021, 93% of installers answered CPD or professional qualifications would aid them in their work.    

Furthermore, following Dame Judith Hackitt’s report into the failings at Grenfell Tower in 2017, installer competency in fire, emergency and security systems has been put under the spotlight, with a renewed push from government and the wider industry to ensure appropriate standards of quality are met. The ECS (Electrotechnical Certification Scheme) requirements for cards in the fire and security sector in England are changing as a result, with updated requirements to achieve both the Systems Technician (also known as the Gold Card) Level 3 cards and the Level 2 Operative Card, where work can be carried out and signed off unsupervised.

In line with the push for improved competency standards and updated CPD requirements that come with the ECS changes, and to support those looking to develop their expertise, IFSEC and FIREX International will be hosting a programme of CPD-accredited in-person training sessions dedicated to the installer and integrator fire and security community.

Book your place on the available courses here

Gerry Dunphy, event director of IFSEC and FIREX International, said: “Skills and competency are now at the forefront of the security and fire safety professions, so we’re delighted to be able to introduce focused and relevant training sessions into the shows. IFSEC & FIREX Training is an important addition as visiting customers can not only view and experience the latest technology and speak to market leading vendors, they can now partake in high calibre CPD training sessions to ensure they’re keeping up with current trends, standards and innovations. It means the shows truly become fully rounded experiences for installers and engineers”.

Trevor Jenks, training manager at the SSAIB, is working with IFSEC and FIREX to ensure the training sessions are relevant and provide genuine value to attendees. Trevor adds: “I’m thrilled to be working with the IFSEC and FIREX team on this initiative. The skillset required in the industry is constantly evolving, and attending high quality training from knowledgeable trainers is more important than ever.”

What will IFSEC & FIREX Training offer?

The prospectus of available courses on offer at the event will cover a variety of key topics that were selected by installers as areas of interest in a survey undertaken by IFSEC & FIREX in 2021.

Courses will be delivered in two distinct manners, both of which were highlighted as important methods of training for fire and security installers in the same survey:

  1. Courses delivered by independent security and fire training organisations
  2. Courses delivered by manufacturers – these will be vetted by an independent consultant to ensure the quality of training is of a high standard and isn’t a ‘sales pitch’. The sessions will also look at technological innovations which meet new industry codes and standards that installers should be aware of.

Topics being covered include:

  • ECS Systems Operative – Fire, Emergency and Security Systems (FESS) by Skills for Security
  • Introduction to Fire Detection & Alarms by Fire Industry Association (FIA)
  • Cyber Security by Hikvision
  • Digital Service Masterclass by Texecom
  • Optical Fibre Overview and Fusion Splicing Workshop by Tavcom Training
  • Introduction to fire doors and fire protection in buildings by Warringtonfire


View the full agenda with further details on each session, here.

A small fee will be charged per session to encourage attendance, though heavily subsidised from the original costs as part of IFSEC and FIREX’s ongoing support in helping to address the skills gap. To ensure sessions remain focused, there are a limited number of spaces available on each. Welcome refreshments, as well as lunch vouchers for all delegates will also be included in the price.

Each course will start in the morning or around midday and last anywhere between 4-6 hours, to ensure delegates receive an appropriate level of training, while also allowing for plenty of time to speak to suppliers and catch up with likeminded professionals on the show floor. Courses will be hosted away from the show floor in the gallery suites at London’s ExCeL on the same days as IFSEC and FIREX, taking place between 17-19 May.

Crucially, all delegates will receive proof of attendance for CPD (Continuing Professional Development) records – a key requirement of the updated ECS cards renewal scheme.  

The initiative has received wide-ranging backing from across the sector, with support coming from the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), Fire Industry Association (FIA), Security Systems Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB), National Security Inspectorate (NSI), Skills for Security and the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP).

MSA Bristol inaugurates new Scottish Service Centre

by Breaking NewsPPEProducts

MSA Bristol, a leading supplier of PPE to fire services around the globe, has opened a new Service Centre in Livingston, Scotland. The centre will provide professional cleaning, decontamination, inspection, and repair of kit for fire and rescue services (FRS).

Currently, MSA Bristol is the only firefighting PPE manufacturer offering in-house managed services in the UK, via its two existing service centres in Bristol and London. 

The company has seen demand for its managed services grow, as fire and rescue services across the UK are increasingly prioritising regular professional cleaning to protect firefighters from health risks associated with smoke contamination. The new Scottish Service Centre has been created in response to a major new managed services contract signed with Scottish FRS last year.

Scottish FRS is the UK’s largest fire and rescue service with 6,660 firefighters operating out of 365 stations and is the first to make use of the new Scottish Service Centre.  After being worn at an operational incident, PPE including fire tunics, trousers, hoods, and gloves, are collected by MSA Bristol from key fire service hubs throughout Scotland. These garments are then thoroughly cleaned and de-contaminated, inspected for signs of damage or wear, and repaired if necessary, before being returned to Scottish FRS– all within seven days. 

The Service Centre features top-of-the-range commercial 33kg Electrolux washers and driers, which are digitally controlled and draw from a pre-heated water supply system to reduce cycle times and electricity usage.  This technology gives the centre a capacity to handle up to 900 garments per week, with the service history of every item tracked via a unique bar code.

The Scottish Service Centre is being run by manager, Anton De Klerk and his team of 10 new employees.  He said: “Since opening, we have gradually implemented new systems and are at the point that we’ve really found our rhythm. We now have full responsibility for the Scottish FRS contract and the processes are running smoothly.  We have regular reviews to iron out any issues, and we’re delighted to be hitting our targets and meeting client expectations.”

Roddy Mackinnon, equipment manager at Scottish Fire and Rescue added: “Regular cleaning, decontamination and repair of PPE is essential for providing firefighters with suitable protection. We have been using MSA Bristol’s managed services since March 2021 and are delighted that these services are now being delivered within Scotland.  The team have worked closely with us throughout the transition to ensure that the high levels of service and quick turnaround times are maintained.”

Edward Shepherd, service operations director, MSA Bristol said: “In recent years, MSA Bristol has seen a significant increase in take up of Managed Services packages in the UK, partly due to convenience and competitive pricing, but also partly due to health concerns. Our new service centre in Livingston will enable us to handle more items of PPE to meet this demand, and by providing this service locally and reducing mileage, it is also a more environmentally responsible way to operate.”

UK Home Office launches Fire Risk Assessor Survey

by Building ManagementFeatured NewsIndustry Sectors

The UK Home Office has invited members of professional bodies working in the Fire Risk Assessor sector to complete the survey. The governement department has also encouraged those involved in fire risk external wall assessments (EWA) to get involved with the survey.

The survey will ask questions about both the company you work for and you in your individual professional capacity. The survey’s findings will be used to inform the government’s policy development work. The Home Office may also share anonymous aggregated results with professional bodies who are supporting them in conducting this survey and leading the sector-led work mentioned above.

There is considerable work underway to strengthen the building and fire safety regulatory systems, not least through the changes being brought about by the Fire Safety Act (FSA) and the Building Safety Bill (BSB).

These changes will have a significant impact on the Fire Risk Assessor sector and with that in mind the Home Office are keen to gain a better understanding of capacity and capability within the sector. They are also keen to support sector-led work on professionalisation within the Fire Risk Assessor sector and your answers to these questions will very much help to support work in this regard.

The Home Office are particularly keen to better understand the impact that two specific forthcoming changes may have on the sector. These are the requirement in the FSA to include external wall assessments in fire risk assessments and the proposed requirement in the BSB for responsible persons to ensure that anyone they appoint to complete a fire risk assessment must be competent.

The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete, depending on how much you want to give, and will remain open until close of play Friday 8th April 2022.

The survey is being conducted by the Home Office in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK GDPR. Participation in this survey is completely voluntary, your answers will be kept confidential and no individual or organisation will be identified in any reporting.

G3 Systems confirms Interschutz 2022 presence

by Featured NewsIndustry SectorsPublic Events

G3 Systems Limited has confirmed its participation at Interschutz 2022, the world’s foremost fire, rescue, civil protection, and safety/security trade show, from June 20-25, 2022, at the Deutsche Messe Hannover, Germany.   

Interschutz was last held in 2015, and the pandemic caused the show to be postponed in both 2020 and 2021.

Joining around 1,000 other companies from 50 countries, G3 Systems will be presenting its outsourced fire and rescue service capability to industrial, aviation and critical infrastructure customers from around the world.

With around 160,000 visitors expected to visit the show over 6 days, G3 Systems will demonstrate how its 24/7 fire and rescue services can minimise risk and improve on-site safety; protecting staff, visitors and facilities while enabling operations to continue in full compliance with national and international fire and safety standards and regulations.

Based in Portland UK, and currently celebrating 20 years in business, G3 Systems Fire & Rescue Services include structural and aviation rescue and fire-fighting services, emergency dispatch and response, incident command, fire safety, fire inspection and investigation, equipment and vehicle maintenance, testing and compliance, firefighter training and Medical Crash Crew / Ambulance Services.

In addition, G3 Systems provide waking watch services and client training in emergency response procedures, as well as through-life logistics support via mobile Field Service Engineers and forward deployed support staff.  Over 80% of its personnel work at its client’s facilities around the world.

G3 Systems will be present at Stand A51: Hall 17.

Has the pandemic overhauled the security landscape?

by Featured NewsIndustry SectorsPublic Events

Insightful contributions on a range of key, topical issues facing the security systems and security services sectors were shared at last month’s Thought Leadership Summit, held at the Royal Lancaster London after a two-year break following the pandemic. Organised by the Outstanding Security Performance Awards (OSPAs) in association with NSI, the annual event attracted a wide range of senior leaders from across the industry.

The 2022 conference programme reflected a variety of current themes affecting buyers of security and industry providers alike, including upcoming legislation covering protection of most public spaces – the Protect Duty proposals. These implications and opportunities were debated by three speakers: Andrew Donaldson, head of security at Real Estate Management UK Ltd; John Frost, Group head of business continuity at Marks & Spencer and chairperson of the Retail Business Continuity Association; and Stuart Toal, head of non-motor commercial insurance, Allianz UK.

The speakers’ contributions on the Protect Duty consultation reflected a wider, common thread: the value of collaborative working, regardless of commercial considerations. As one delegate put it, in a contribution ‘from the floor’: we have to work collaboratively to make the most of this once in a moment opportunity and explain to all parties how improved protection of public spaces will impact them in the future.

Those attending the Thought Leadership Summit also gained an insight into the current thinking guiding licensing body the Security Industry Authority, from CEO Michelle Russell. Michelle outlined a plan of actions including improvements to the SIA’s core licensing systems and processes, alongside a more proactive approach to compliance, inspection and enforcement.

The impact of the pandemic on the security sector was discussed by two speakers in a session addressing the topic ‘Who are the winners and losers amongst security suppliers? What the bosses say.’ Paul Evans, CEO of Carlisle Support Services and Christian Watts, MD, Fire and Security Systems at Mitie agreed that key worker status has raised the public perception and status of officers with a welcome increase in pay across the sector.

In contrast, there have been increases in violence, including serious assaults, along with a significant rise in abuse towards guards, and Paul argued for a “meaningful employee value proposition” to attract candidates and counter labour shortages.

Christian added that other “headwinds and challenges” include rising crime statistics, increases in the cost of living, supply chain disruption, tightening compliance, changing workplaces and technology evolution.

Richard Jenkins, NSI’s chief executive, provided Thought Leadership Summit delegates with an overview of the positive ways in which third party certification raises standards, reduces risks and independently demonstrates key competencies across the sector. He said: “Following NSI’s inaugural involvement with this prestigious event in 2020, the environment in which companies operate has changed and the 2022 Thought Leadership Summit provided challenging first-hand perspectives from practitioners on the key issues driving the direction of travel in both security systems and security guarding services deployment and operations.”

Professor Martin Gill, founder and director, Thought Leadership Summit commented: “Thought Leadership Summits are designed to inspire new thinking, provide a critique of what is happening and generate insights on where security should be heading, it once again achieved that. The presentations and debates remind us of the passion for those who work in security to want to improve it.”

FIREX International 2022 agenda announced

by Breaking NewsIndustry SectorsPublic Events

Some of the leading personalities in fire safety law and standards, fire risk assessments and building safety will provide a mix of informative individual presentations and expert panel discussions at FIREX International in May.

Gill Kernick has partnered organisations in high hazard industries to develop the leadership and culture needed to prevent major accidents. A former resident of Grenfell Tower herself until 2014, she is author of the book Catastrophe and Systemic Change: Learning from the Grenfell Tower Fire and Other Disasters. She will be kicking off the programme by sharing her thoughts on systemic change and the role of trust and disruption in the fire industry on 17 May.

Discussing more about the wide-ranging implications of the Building Safety Bill, the Deputy Director of the Building Safety Regulator – Tim Galloway – will be on hand on Tuesday 17 May to discuss the HSE’s new role in the building safety regime and its approach to compliance and enforcement.

View the full Expertise & Guidance Theatre agenda here

The golden thread of building safety information has been a feature of much work since Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent review of building regulations and fire safety in 2018. On 17 May, an expert panel on the role of digitised building information will discuss the ways ahead, including the provisions of the standard BS 8644 Digital management of fire safety information.

So much good practice in fire safety is underpinned by independent third-party certification of products and services. Also on Tuesday, a panel of senior representatives from third party certification organisations – such as BRE Global, BAFE and UL – will come together to discuss the steps specifiers should make to ensure they are procuring independently certificated products and services – from passive and active fire safety products and their installation, to service providers such as fire risk assessors.

The headline act for Wednesday 18 May will include a presentation from BSI on the increasingly prominent role IoT is playing in fire safety, followed by a panel discussion with key members of the Fire Industry Association’s IoT Forum debating the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Since the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the spotlight on the role of ‘stay put’ in purpose-built blocks of flats has come under scrutiny. Andy Scott, Chair of BSI’s FSH/12/5 committee on fire alarm devices, voice alarm evacuation sub-systems and emergency voice communications, examines BS 8629, the code of practice for evacuation alert systems to be used by fire and rescue services when ‘stay put’ is no longer tenable.

The specific challenges of improving fire safety in the social housing sector will be examined by Andy Frankum, Chair of the National Social Housing Fire Strategy Group, while a new standard for fire alarms for those with sensory sensitivities will be exclusively launched at FIREX by Sonny White and James Jones.

And, on Thursday 19 May, Erin Shoesmith, the Health and Safety Partner at solicitors Addleshaw Goddard, will be outlining how the legal landscape is changing under the Building Safety Bill – and not just for high-rise residential buildings.

Hochiki fire system installed at Italian food production site

by Featured NewsFire DetectionFire SuppressionHospitalityIndustry SectorsProductsWarehouse

In 1959, eight dairies in the Parmigiano Reggiano area founded the CCS Consorzio Caseifici Sociali. Over the years, the business expanded to include the production and maturing of Parmigiano Reggiano.

In 1995, the Granterre Consortium was established, bringing together the entire Parmigiano Reggiano dairy chain, and then almost ten years later, in 2004, control of Parmareggio Spa was acquired. In 2019 Bonterre Spa, the holding company under which the control of Parmareggio Spa and Grandi Salumifici Italiani Spa (controlled by UNIBON) was established.

Then in 2021, Agriform Sca (leader in the production of Grana Padano PDO and the main Veneto PDOs such as Asiago, Piave, Montasio and Monte Veronese) merged with Parmareggio Spa to create the first Italian company in the world of PDO cheeses and cemented this new company as the leader in the Italian food industry.

New company requires fire safety upgrade

In 2021, the site at Sommacampagna required an upgrade of the fire detection system. Hochiki were the appointed manufacturers to supply the life safety system and devices due to their experience and expertise in the Italian fire safety market.

Within food production sites, the temperature and humidity inside the environment must be carefully controlled to comply with food hygiene laws, and because of this, these sites can be notoriously complex buildings to design and install fire safety systems for. The customer was looking for a high-performance fire detection system that would not be affected by these environmental factors, and most importantly avoid false alarms which can halt production and cost the company thousands of Euros for every minute the site is not fully operational.

The installation team also needed to pay particular attention to the installation of cables and piping. As a specialist in aged cheese production, it was imperative that the delicate work of the cheese wheels and the hot marking of the upper layer of the Parmesan rind was not affected during the installation project. One of the benefits to Hochiki products to this project was the ease of install and ease of use of the devices which had minimal impact on the business.

To meet the requirements of the project, the installer NET Technologies Srl chose Hochiki’s market leading system L@titude to be the brain of the life safety system. This innovative fire detection technology combines the very latest hardware and software to produce a control and indication system which is powerful and sophisticated, yet simple to use and understand via a graphical interface.

Mirko Corsini, project manager at Hochiki Italia said: “The installer chose Hochiki’s L@titude panel together with our SPC-ET beam smoke detectors, which are characterised by low power consumption at rest and incorporate a sophisticated algorithm of automatic compensation to environmental changes.

The technical features of these products make them perfect for meeting the needs of this type of food processing environment. The flexibility of the Hochiki ESP protocol made it possible, through the CHQ-SZM2/SCI Zone Modules, to integrate conventional detectors (SPC-ET) as if they were addressable devices, without having to use auxiliary power supplies that would have required additional cables and batteries.”

Detectors with short circuit isolators were installed to ensure the system complied with the requirements of UNI EN 9795, which states that a short-circuit isolator must be installed for each room/compartment.

Intelligent Photoelectric Smoke detector with SCI incorporates Hochiki’s newest High Performance Chamber Technology. This detector removes the need to use Ionisation Smoke Sensors in many applications. This also allows the sensor threshold level to be increased, thereby improving the signal to noise ratio, and reducing the likelihood of false alarms.

Throughout the site Intelligent Loop-Powered Wall Sounder Beacons and Visual Alarm Devices were installed to ensure a fully compliant and state of the art fire safety system.

Commenting on the project, Fabrizio Bergamin, Technical Coordinator at the installer company NET Technologies srl, said: “We chose Hochiki devices and system because of the technical characteristics and reliability that this brand offers, as well as a wide range of products that fully meet market demands. Post commissioning of the project, the operating conditions envisaged in the design phase have been amply met. Over the course of the next year, there will be further implementations of the fire detection system at the Parmareggio production site, with distributed intelligence solutions or with several autonomous and networked L@titude control panels.

During the project we have had to deal with several technical design studios to solve various kinds of system problems; a fundamental role, together with the products they offer, is played by the Hochiki Italia technical support. They have responded competently to regulatory and design aspects, as well as proposed solutions for applications”.